Congresswoman McDonald Rivet’s Bipartisan Coalition Leads Great Lakes Icebreaker Bill Through Committee

WASHINGTON— Yesterday, Congresswoman Kristen McDonald Rivet (MI-08), Congressman Tony Wied (WI-08), and Congressman Max Miller (OH-07) successfully passed the Great Lakes Icebreaker Act of 2025 through the U.S. House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure. The bipartisan legislation instructs the U.S. Coast Guard to develop a plan to design and build a new icebreaker for the Great Lakes, and analyze the effectiveness of the current icebreaking fleet.

“Winter in the Great Lakes can be brutally cold and dangerous. When too much ice builds up, commercial ships can’t get through and our economy slows down,” said Congresswoman McDonald Rivet. “This bill ensures we have the icebreaking ships we need to protect jobs and keep lanes of commerce open, no matter what Midwest winters have to throw at us.”

“Great Lakes shipping moves more than 90 million tons of cargo annually and is incredibly important to the economy of Wisconsin and the country as a whole,” said Congressman Wied. “Unfortunately, inadequate icebreaking capabilities on the Lakes result in losses of up to $1 billion annually and threaten thousands of jobs. I am proud to stand with Reps. McDonald Rivet and Miller in introducing this bipartisan legislation to require the Coast Guard to develop a strategy to design and complete a new heavy-class Great Lakes icebreaker to keep these routes open in the winter. This will strengthen our economy and benefit consumers across the nation.”

“I am proud to co-lead the Great Lakes Icebreaker Act of 2025 with Congresswoman McDonald-Rivet,” said Congressman Miller. “The Coast Guard’s icebreaker fleet is the smallest it has been in decades, which means that midwestern jobs freeze along with the Great Lakes in the winter. This legislation will assess USCG’s ability to keep shipping lanes open in the winter and prepare our ice breaker fleet for future midwestern winters for years to come.”

Heavy icebreakers, such as the Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw, are vital tools to help commercial vessels navigate frozen waters. This bill requires the Coast Guard to provide Congress with a plan to design and build a new Great Lakes Icebreaker, including a cost estimate and timeline. The bill also authorizes a five-year pilot program for the Coast Guard to test whether its icebreaking fleet in the Great Lakes can keep the priority waterways open during ice season.

Congresswoman McDonald Rivet is a member of the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, which has jurisdiction over the Coast Guard, maritime and waterborne transportation, and all U.S. waterways. The Congresswoman is also a member of the bipartisan Great Lakes Task Force, which advocates for the economic and environmental well-being of the Great Lakes.